The Lies Republicans Tell Themselves: Kevin McCarthy on Jan 6 & MTG on the Stand

We all tell ourselves lies. It is part of human nature. What it comes down to at the end of the day, is the effect the lies have. It is just for ourselves or will they create figurative ripples that also affect others?

Recently, two major figures in the Republican party once again proved that they are cowards, fakes, and liars.

In a leaked tape regarding the riot on January 6th, Kevin McCarthy spoke of his frustration with you know who. Now he claims that the statements on the recording are fake.

Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene has taken the stand to defend her comments in regard to that day. Voters in her home state of Georgia are looking for legal avenues to prevent her from running again. Her answers to the questions by the prosecutor were largely “I don’t know” or “I don’t recall”.

It is suspiciously curious that when forced to admit the truth, these people have either selective memories or profess that publicly verified remarks are untrue in one form or another. I know that no one is perfect, but, the reality they live in is not just their own. It has the power to affect the entire country not just in the present, but for decades to come.

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A Year On and January 6th Has Not Been Solved

When certain events become shorthand, it is certain to become a part of the public consciousness.

A year ago today, a mob forced its way into the Capitol building in Washington D.C. They nearly stopped what would have been an otherwise mundane procedure of certifying the 2020 Presidential election. Thankfully, they were stopped and President Biden was able to take the position that the American people chose him for.

While I would love to say that the perpetrators responsible for that day were prosecuted, sent to jail, and we could move on. But we can’t. There are far too many in this nation who not only believe that you know was robbed, but that they have the right to take back “their country” as they see fit.

Earlier this week, an article caught my eye. Written by Jonathan Allen, the final line is chilling.

“Jan. 6 is analogous to the first attack on the World Trade Center that failed. We should take heed of that.”

The people behind the riot knew exactly what they were doing that day. They also know what they need to do moving forward. They are not dumb, not by any stretch of the imagination. When their plan to physically take control of the government failed, they took a less noticeable, but far more invasive route. Via gerrymandering and taking control of school boards, there are many Republicans who are too happy to sacrifice this nation and her ideals to shape it into their image. If that means taking away the rights of women, minorities, and immigrants, so be it. And even further, if that means creating a real-life version of Gilead, they would be happy to do so.

We dodged a bullet last year. The next time this happens, it will not be a bullet coming in our direction. It will be a shoulder-fired missile and its target will not be left standing.

For nearly 300 years, Americans have assumed that our democracy will last forever. Unless we take a stand, our children and grandchildren will be talking about it in the past tense.

How Anyone Could Not Believe That Jan 6 Happened is Beyond Me

A political election, regardless whether it is on the local, state, or national level should be a simple process. The people vote and the winner takes office.

This should have happened back in January without any sort of trouble. But as we all know, trouble was in the form of you know and riots in Washington D.C. that happened in January 6th. Last week, the January 6th commission met for the first time.

As I was listening to the hearings, I found myself getting angry. Things like this do not happen in the United States. They happen in countries where democracy is on the brink of breakage. It only takes one final crack to replace it with a dictatorship or autocracy. What the police officers spoke of their experience that day, it was as I was there in person. The experience and description of that day was so clear, it was as if I was listening to scripted drama and not first person testimony in front of Congress.

What bothers me is that instead of seeing it for what is was and acting on the facts, most Republicans are diluting the facts to save their skins. Rep Clyde from Georgia labeled that day as a “tourist visit“. I’ve been the D.C. a number of times over the years. I hit the usual touristy spots. But I did not storm the Capitol bulding because I was not happy with the direction that the country is going.

The thing we also have to remember is that Everyone in that building had a target on their back that day. I can only imagine what might have happened if the rioters had gotten their way. It is an picture I dare not even consider.

The footage is there. We all watched it. We saw the danger and the chaos. The question is, are we will to put the partisan b*llshit aside and make sure it does not happen again? Or, do we let the fear of a minority and their used car salesman, orange colored leader dictate the course of American history?

The Lincoln Project on Memorial Day and the January 6th Commission

January 6th, 2021, was a day that will forever part of American history. Those of us above a certain age will forever remember where we were and who we were that day.

Nearly 6 months after the fact, a bi-partisan commission is being put together to figure out what happened and more importantly, what went wrong. As expected, while some members of Congress understand the importance this commission, others (cough, Republicans, cough) have shot down the idea.

Today, as we all know, is Memorial Day. Instead of remembering those who have given up everything to protect this country and everything she represents, they are as usual more concerned with saving their own skins and brown nosing you know who.

The Lincoln Project is far more eloquent and knowledgeable on this topic than I am. I will end this post with their latest video because a picture is always worth a thousand words.

Podcast Reviews: People of the Pod and Fever Dreams

Though podcasts are a relatively new form of media, they have as much power and influence as their predecessors.

The new podcast from The Daily Beast is called Fever Dreams. Hosted by reporters Asawin Suebsaeng and Will Sommer, they delve into political right’s various plans to take over the government. Examining the different aspects within the movement, each episode talks about how each subgroup is using different methods to reshape the United States into their own image.

The People of the Pod is a podcast that made its debut in the summer of 2019. Created by the American Jewish Committee, hosts Seffi Kogen and Manya Brachear Pashman talk to different guests about what is going on in the world, how these events can be looked at via Jewish eyes, and the connection to American Jews, Jews across the world, and Israel.

I enjoy both podcasts. The perspective that each takes is an open, honest, and sometimes difficult approach to talking about what are essentially important subjects.

Do I recommend them both? Yes.